noon games open thread
The noon slate isn't too great, but football is football. I suppose I will be watching the Northwestern/Iowa game.
October 26th, 2013 at 11:54 AM ^
Northwestern is a 4 point dawg. I'm betting them... hoping they can turn their trainwreck of a Big 10 season around today on the road.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:03 PM ^
It should be a pretty good game. NW sure has "disappointed" this year. I put that word in quotation marks because I predicted months ago that NW would be overhyped. People called me crazy, but it turns out I was right.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:14 PM ^
I was in the same boat. When literally every pundit and sports personality is predicting a team to be a sleeper, the team isn't much of a sleeper, and generally fails to live up to the hype. Iowa is looking like the real sleeper these days.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:00 PM ^
I think i will be watching Nebraska at Minnesota.
October 26th, 2013 at 1:01 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 1:15 PM ^
I thought Minnesota was one of the worst teams ever and Hoke and Borges failed by not beating them by enough points.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:00 PM ^
At last check, Iowa was favored by 3.5 points against Northwestern - I would think you'll see a 28-24-ish score in this one. Interestingly, Northwestern seems to find ways to turn the tables on Iowa now and again - I think it was the 2009 game where the Wildcats held Iowa to less than 70 yards of rushing, for example. According to the Tribune, Colter will be out there today, but Mark is still day-to-day, so this game could be interesting.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:06 PM ^
Taylor Martinez still throws awkwardly, but they did just go right down the field in about three minutes for a touchdown. For some reason, I'm feeling another beatdown by the hands of the Wolverines for Nebraska.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:09 PM ^
was probably incomplete? The announcers totally missed it.. if you go back and look at the low-angle replay, Bell didn't catch it cleanly and was still flailing at it when he hit the ground. Couldn't see the opposite field angle to be sure, but it's a pet peeve of mine when announcers ignore what the screen is showing...
October 26th, 2013 at 12:07 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 12:17 PM ^
CANNOT STOP THE RUN, PERIOD.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:30 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 12:17 PM ^
First impression: Nebraska looks good.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:21 PM ^
I'm sure they'll put up some points against us, but I'm not really concerned with playing them. They always have a total meltdown in big road games.
October 26th, 2013 at 1:00 PM ^
Not impressed with Nebraska offense, particularly. Also, R., Hageman is a mean SOB with an NFL future.
October 26th, 2013 at 2:12 PM ^
Considering his propensity for drive extending penalties, he's going to end up a Lion, isn't he?
October 26th, 2013 at 2:27 PM ^
If he was more injury prone he'd become a Brown.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:20 PM ^
Miami down 7 early to WF. I think Miami is one of the most overrated teams in the country. They beat two 4-3 teams and 4 terrible teams. Their schedule is a joke.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:25 PM ^
They have certainly played a weak schedule but they still havent't lost yet. An undefeated team in the ACC deserves to be around the top 10 no matter what. I feel we won't really know what they're made of until they go to Florida State.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:26 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 12:30 PM ^
I think that's 22 plays now for Iowa, only four of which have been passing plays, so yeah, Manball sounds perhaps right here. That, and Ferentz having at least considered - momentarily - going for it on 4th and 3.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:33 PM ^
Minny just manballed the hell out of the blackshirts.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:34 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 12:47 PM ^
I love seeing Minnesota in these uniforms. They're classic. They should retire the all-maroon look.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:50 PM ^
then do what I'm doing and listen to a much more interesting broadcast here:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&…
WTKA is doing another Ufer rebroadcast, this one of the 1979 Michigan @ msu game.
If you're not in front of you computer and are reading this from your phone, there's always the iHeart app, too. They have WTKA, of course.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:53 PM ^
Northwestern has only had the opportunity to run 11 plays on offense so far. Oddly, if you do the math, however, they are being outgained by a yard or so on a per snap basis, but then Iowa's already at 144 yards of offense, where as NW is at 39 yards.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:54 PM ^
How did NU manage to do so well vs OSU?
October 26th, 2013 at 12:59 PM ^
Ohio is a fraud, that's why.
October 26th, 2013 at 1:00 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 1:02 PM ^
This is correct and I'm excited for the M/Ohio game. Assuming our key players are healthy, I really think M will beat them and end this terrible winning streak. I'm so sick of hearing about "Urbz" and this stupid winning streak. Since he started coaching, they have had some of the easiest scheduling I have ever seen.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:57 PM ^
Is Nebraska's offensive line this bad?
October 26th, 2013 at 12:58 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 12:58 PM ^
and their RG on consecutive plays. They really ought to double-team him.
October 26th, 2013 at 12:59 PM ^
I love the crowd reaction to every fumble from every game. It's literally just a unison "OOOOHHHH."
October 26th, 2013 at 1:00 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 1:01 PM ^
looked like the guy's knees were down, but alas, only one quick replay and the announcers didn't talk about it
October 26th, 2013 at 1:04 PM ^
It is reassuring to watch Minny slow down Nebraska's powerful offense. I know that the game will be bonkers to an extent, but Nebraska does not look close to the dominant program some expected going into the season.
October 26th, 2013 at 1:04 PM ^
Minny RPS-ing Nebraska like crazy.
October 26th, 2013 at 1:05 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 1:05 PM ^
Jerry Kill is shutting me up - I wasn't sure how good a coach he was, but his team's looked pretty good lately. Hope he can get his health in order.
October 26th, 2013 at 1:06 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 1:06 PM ^
I have no idea if Iowa is this good or NW is just so beat up they can't do anything. I think it is the latter, but who knows.
October 26th, 2013 at 1:13 PM ^
NW was never all that good to begin with. I saw them struggle against WMU and Cal (who is now 1-6) out of conference, when they were fully healthy.
October 26th, 2013 at 1:15 PM ^
Oh yeah, I never thought they'd be the class of the conference or anything (especially after that Maine game; Cal still felt a bit like some road weirdness), but at this point they can't do ANYTHING offensively. That shocks me a bit, even given the injuries.
October 26th, 2013 at 1:21 PM ^
The other thing is that they might just be flat. They can't win the B1G or improve upon last season's record, so Fitzgerald now has to find a way to motivate them. Maybe he's not that good in that area.
October 26th, 2013 at 1:07 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 1:09 PM ^
Strange how only NW gets called for holding. Yes, that particular call was obvious, but Iowa's OL is a holdig machine oon pass plays.
October 26th, 2013 at 1:10 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 1:10 PM ^
Minny showing zero respect for Nebraska's D, going for it on 4th and 10 and slinging it downfield. Love it....
October 26th, 2013 at 1:10 PM ^
Man Nebraska sure does look flat today.